Gulls – The Garbage Birds

Have you ever had a picnic on the beach? Chances are, you had a few extra guests. Seagulls aren’t afraid of humans. In fact, they can be downright aggressive if you have food. They’ll swoop down to steal a bite, shrieking and squawking.

Most gulls live near the ocean, but that’s not all about gulls. They can also live near lakes and reservoirs.

Most gulls live near the ocean, but gulls can also live near lakes and reservoirs. Gulls are often called garbage birds because they eat almost anything. Gulls eat fish, squid, shellfish and mussels. They also eat bugs and earthworms and won’t turn away from garbage or even dead animals. Gulls eat eggs and will even eat seagull eggs and young chicks. They often fight with each other over food.

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They often fight with each other over food.

Fun Facts about Gulls for Kids

Sea gulls like freshwater, but they’ll drink sea water. Two glands near their eyes drip the salt in the water so they don’t get sick.

Sea gulls make nests simply by hollowing out a soft spot in the sand. They try to choose an area near grass, rocks or logs for protection.

Sea gulls mate for life. During mating, the male brings the female food.

After chicks hatch, one parent stays with the nest all the time. The other parent brings food.

After chicks hatch, one parent stays with the nest all the time. The other parent brings food.

Gull Vocabulary

Picnic: outdoor meal

Guest: someone who joins your event or party

Aggressive: Persistent, fierce

Swoop: dive down quickly

Reservoir: man-made lake

Learn More All About Gulls

To learn more, check out this video documentary of the glaucous gulls.

A video documentary about the gulls in Iceland.

Gull Q&A

Question: Do people like sea gulls?

Answer: Many people find sea gulls annoying because of their noise and pesky habits. Utah Mormon pioneers loved the sea gulls though because they ate crickets that were devouring their crops. The sea gull is the state bird of Utah.

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Question: Are sea gulls smart?

Answer: Sea gulls have been observed floating bits of bread on water to lure fish to the surface. Most animals can’t use this type of planning. Sea gulls are smart.